Title 10, Armed ForcesRelease 119-110
§950q Principals
Title 10 › Subtitle A — General Military Law › PART II — PERSONNEL › CHAPTER 47A — MILITARY COMMISSIONS › SUBCHAPTER VIII — PUNITIVE MATTERS › § 950q
Summary
Defines who counts as a "principal" and can be punished. A principal is someone who commits or causes a crime, or who helps or directs others to do it; and a superior commander who knew, had reason to know, or should have known and failed to take necessary and reasonable measures.
Full Legal Text
Title 10, §950q
Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Any person punishable under this chapter who—
(1)commits an offense punishable by this chapter, or aids, abets, counsels, commands, or procures its commission;
(2)causes an act to be done which if directly performed by him would be punishable by this chapter; or
(3)is a superior commander who, with regard to acts punishable by this chapter, knew, had reason to know, or should have known, that a subordinate was about to commit such acts or had done so and who failed to take the necessary and reasonable measures to prevent such acts or to punish the perpetrators thereof,
is a principal.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Prior Provisions
A prior section 950q, added Pub. L. 109–366, § 3(a)(1), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2624, related to principals, prior to the general amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 111–84.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
10 U.S.C. § 950q
Title 10, Armed Forces
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110